You & This Route

Your To-Do List:

Your Star Rating:

Your Difficulty Rating:

Your Ticks:

Description

5.11 steep big moves on big holds takes you up high off the Tropicana ledge, between Predator and the second pitch of Tropicana. Nearing the top, you can step right and get a good shake, then step down and left to attack the final crux bulge where the climb changes it's character to powerful dynamic crimping, slopers and balance moves. It is slightly contrived to head up the bulge rather than right into the gully, but once you make the move to the left, the climbing is good and natural feeling.

With a 70 m rope and some slings on the first pitch and the mid belay anchor to keep the rope running well, this can be linked on top of the first pitch of Orange Crush 5.9 and is a great, really fun long pumpy route. If using this for a warm-up for the harder nearby routes, usually at least the very top has fixed draws, so you can skip the final 5.12 bit if you wish.

This route often suffers from seepage, but as long as you can keep your feet out of it, a little water shouldn't be a problem on the 5.11 part, with the holds being so good. This is also a great barefoot climb. If you come off, you just fly into space.

Make sure your belayer is tied into the end of the rope.

Location

Orange Crush starts about in the middle of the cliff, just left of Tropicana and right of the wooden stairs. The Opportunist is the second pitch directly above, starting off the middle of the big flat Tropicana ledge, between Tropicana and Predator.

Protection

All bolts (9?). If linking from the first pitch of Orange Crush (recommended), use slings on some of the bolts on the first pitch and on the anchor on the ledge to reduce drag, and use a 70 meter rope. A 60m is fine if belaying on the ledge.

I was on this route the other day. What's up with the anchor? There is a 6 foot length of static rope hanging down from the anchor to the last bolt. Whatever's going on up there detracts from the quality of the route, IMO.
Jun 13, 2011

If you lower from the upper anchor, your rope gets trashed, yet the climbing is not really over at the last bolt, so Smitty put the bit of rope up so people could top out then lower off the last bolt and the anchor rope after hand over handing back down. Personally, I think another bolt should be thrown in and the anchor just lowered, but the rope does give you options. On repeat ascents, I never bothered to top out to the high anchor, though you should for your redpoint.
Jun 13, 2011

That's what I figured. I agree with you that the anchor should be at the last bolt. That way, you could top it out if you want and then downclimb and/or jump, (like Predator). The static rope is unsightly and makes it look like it's an unfinished project.
Jun 13, 2011

Maybe mid 11 most of the way up, to where you can get a rest to the right, like you were going to climb up into the scruffy notch, but mid 12 through the last 2 or 3 bolt bulge, then it eases off for the top out to the upper anchors. The 11 part is the kind of climbing that will feel easier once you know it since you will know where the holds are and can motor along, reducing the pump. That is why I like it so much as a nice long, pumpy warm-up or for doing speed TR laps combined with Orange Crush.
Jun 13, 2011

I got on for the first time this recently and was blown away by the overall fun-factor of it! I was a bit wasted and burned out at the crux but I can not wait to get on it again!

also, the draws are so ready for replacement its a little scary. I plan to replace them soon but thought I should mention it. As for the nasty old extended anchor, I removed that a while back while rapping in to shoot photos of predator.
Feb 12, 2016